Shattered Glass
by fishfingersandcustard333
Summary: Clint and Natasha find out the mission they are on is more crucial than it seems and Natasha gets kidnapped. When she is saved, she comes back in a similar situation Clint was with Loki due to an operation called Shattered Glass. Everything that makes her who she is, is gone but Clint takes it upon himself to restore her former self, but at what costs?
1. Chapter 1

AN: I'm kind of obsessed with Clintasha and I couldn't really find that many good fanfics about them so I decided to write what I wanted to read. Just to be clear Hansen is sort of like the villain in this, but doesn't make any sort of appearance or plays any major role so I won't explain that much about him.

"Hansen started a new mission, called Shattered Glass. His people are taking people who formerly worked against him including SHEILD agents, and… changing their minds. Shattered Glass was supposed to go undetected so it could make its subjects into spies and give information back to Hansen. But, the behavior change turned out to be unexpectedly drastic, so we were able to get onto it and send an agent to get on the inside, he found out all about Shattered Glass and was able to get one person out of their base in time, before they discovered him. She was lucky; her full conversion wasn't yet completed. What's happening to her is very similar to what happened to you with Loki, agent Barton." a blond female SHEILD doctor, dressed in a lab coat told Clint.

"So, everything she is and believed in is turned around?" He asked with a small laugh, not believing anything that horrible happened to her.

Clint looked into the room from the outside through the glass window that stretched from one end of the wall to the other with the doctor.

"I'm afraid that's exactly what happened to her." She regretfully told him with a pained look.

His neck snapped away from her and toward the doctor. "_What?_"

This wasn't real. This couldn't be happening. Someone was mistaken. Clint's mind was racing with disbelief.

"But, the situation is somewhat different, Agent Barton. Her feelings, beliefs _and_ her memories have been altered. If she does remember you, I think…" she trailed off.

"She'll what?" the Hawk questioned, terrified of the answer.

"She'll hate you, agent Barton. I'm sorry."

He stood staring at her for a minute. There she was, his Tasha lying on a black, cot shaped bed in the corner of the room, her hands and legs strapped down. How could this be?

What he had experienced a year ago was something he couldn't even wish on his worst enemy. If anything even similar was happening to Natasha….. he felt his heart sink and break.

"Let me in there." He turned and said determinedly to the SHEILD doctor, keeping all he was feeling tucked on the inside.

"You can't do that."

Reading her name tag, he started again. "Dr. Burke, let me in there. I need to talk to her!" he was starting to break down.

"_Nobody _is allowed in there right now, Agent Barton. I can try and see if I can you in later but for now you'll just have to wait."

He put his hand up against the glass letting some of the misery slip through, his eyes glistening with the making of tears. "Oh, Tasha." he whispered. This was all his fault, if he had just stayed and protected her he was sure this wouldn't have happened. He might be the one tied up, but it didn't matter as long as Natasha was safe. She would be safe, she would be alright.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So, here is a little back story that should explain a thing or two.

"Get in, get the package, and get out. They shouldn't even know you were there until they check on it tomorrow. And remember, it will be protected." Fury told agent Romanoff and agent Barton.

"Got it." Clint said.

"I know this won't lead us to victory but it is important." He stressed to both of them.

"We can handle it, Fury." Natasha assured him as Hawkeye and Black Widow finished gearing up and went to meet up with the other agents, appreciating each other's company a little more than they should.

Clint loved Natasha, but hadn't ever really thought about it. For, it didn't need thinking over. He didn't love her instantly nor did she sneak up on him only to realize one day his true feelings for her. It was a way of nature that Clint didn't stress over, considered or reflected on.

Natasha did love Clint, but she neither had thought about her feelings for him, but because she didn't want to. Natasha would confirm nor deny them now, as she had for a long time. Loving lead to hurting and as much as she'd like to believe Clint would never hurt her, she could never be sure about anything. And, she enjoyed this slightly flirty but non romantic relationship they held.

Progressing to more than friends was always a possibility in the back of their minds but that too had never been thought over. What happened in time was what would be meant to happen.

_Boom._

That was the sound of another "protection". No one at SHEILD had been expecting this. The building was starting to collapse in on itself due to all the explosions. This was not the kind of protections Hansen usually used, the package wasn't supposed to be _this_ important.

This mission had quite literally gone down in flames. More explosions came from the end of the hallway while Natasha and Clint raced in the other direction. They stopped at the corner, hearing some of Hansen's men stomping down to find and kill the remaining SHEILD agents. The two of them had gotten separated from the rest. Clint and Natasha lied flat against the wall, not daring to even take a single breath.

The footsteps receded in the other direction. Clint let out a large sigh first. "What did you say about us handling this, Tasha?" Clint playfully asked.

"Now's not the time for jokes, Barton. We have to figure out how to get out of here without being seen."

Getting him out safely was the most important thing to her at the moment.

There was the sound of a small explosion from above and most of the ceiling in the corner fell through, Clint and Natasha in the rubble.

"Tasha!" Clint yelled. They were surrounded by the destruction.

No answer.

"Tasha!" Clint yelled again. This time there was a groan from nearby. He crawled through the rubble toward her pained sound. His heart fell as he saw her. Agent Romanoff was pinned to the ground, trapped by a metal pole that lied across her waist.

He instantly started trying to pry it away. He grunted in effort, trying with all his effort to get her free.

"Clint," she said smiling raising her hand to stroke his face. "Clint, you can't get me out. You have to go."

They were now both covered in dirt, sweat, grime and tiny scrapes and cuts. But, to Clint Natasha Romanoff was as beautiful as ever.

He felt her hand on his face, heard the words coming from her mouth, registered them and looked into her eyes. This was it; the moment had finally some that he really had to think about how he really felt for her, how much she meant to him.

"No." he said firmly, "I'm not leaving you."

"You have to, they'll find us both here, you can still make your way out-

"No." he repeated himself, shaking his head and covering her hand with his own. "I'm not going anywhere without you."

Natasha looked into his eyes, but saw his soul. This was the moment she knew she couldn't deny it any longer. Yes, she loved Clint Barton and it had taken her until now to even consider the idea. But, what was he saying? What did he mean? She thought she knew and felt her heart flutter.

But, she needed to make sure; she needed to ask and knew a single word would suffice.

"_Why?_"

Clint hesitated a moment, but he didn't care anymore. What better time to tell her than now?

He leaned in slowly and steadily kissed her. She kissed him back, and felt the love swell up inside her. And, it was the most wonderful thing she'd ever felt. In that moment, she knew no matter, what her heart would always be Agent Clint Barton's.

The world seemed to fall away around them and all that mattered was him and her.

When their lips finally parted, the Hawk grabbed her face in his hand and answered her question, not that it wasn't already answered, "I love you, Tasha." he whispered.

"I love you, Clint." she confessed only now realizing how thrillingly wonderful it was.

He kissed her again and she smiled.

"I can't think of another way I'd rather die." He breathed somehow not an ounce of sadness or regret in his voice.

He saw the look on her face change and before she could say anything said "No! I'm not leaving you! Not, now. Not, ever."

Natasha sighed, looking into his loving eyes she was sure that if no other person on Earth ever loved her but him, she would be perfectly fine with it, but it couldn't end here.

Not when it had only just begun.

"Go but come back. Come back with help. You won't get me out by yourself."

He looked at her questioningly and she nodded.

"Fine." he agreed. He kissed her on the forehead and climbed out of the rubble but just before going out of sight turned back once more and reassured "I'm coming _right _back for you." while pointing at her. And, she believed that he would try his hardest to do so, but if he couldn't she prayed that he'd get out before this building entirely collapses.

And, running like he'd never run before, now knowing that the woman he loved, loved him back Agent Barton did get help and got back in time. Or would have, but by the time he got back to Natasha and climbed through the rubble to reach her he saw the pole that pinned her down minutes ago completely bent back. She was gone. Just like that. Vanished.

Hawkeye looked from left to right and all over in the two seconds of panic that soon turned to dismay.

His Tasha, his beautiful Tasha. Where was she now?


	3. Chapter 3

"Please don't overreact." Dr. Burke pleaded of Barton.

"I won't." he promised with a straight face.

"No matter what, this is going to be painful for you, Agent Barton."

He nodded, knowing she was all too right.

A second later, a security guard showed up with the keys to the room they were waiting outside, the room Agent Romanoff was being held in.

The guard looked at her questioningly as most people were.

He opened the door for Clint and he walked inside, bracing himself.

There she lay, still strapped down and under careful and 24 hour observation but now awake. He looked at her, putting on the best of a poker face he could. She looked back at him, recognition slowly dawning on her and showing disgust in her eyes. Her eyes, which once were full of life and light, were now vacant and dulled.

"Agent Barton," she grunted and his heart fell. He'd much rather her not remember him than hate him. "What is it now? Have you come to torture me? Kill me? Or just boast? You've finally gotten what you always wanted, haven't you?"

Clint, shocked into silence for several moments kept his face straight and through clenched teeth and a broken heart asked "And, what's that?"

"Oh C'mon! Isn't this what you always wanted? The destruction of the great Natasha Romanoff!"

Her words made barely any sense but cut at Clint like a knife, because he knew she meant every word. But, this wasn't her. This was not Natasha Romanoff. "Natasha, you know that's not true." He tried to assure her in a now kind voice.

A smug look crept into her face, "_Right." _She whispered sarcastically. "Just like I know you weren't the one to leave me to die, when I was trapped under the rubble."

The air in the room turned ice cold as Clint felt the same ice leak into his stomach. "I did leave you… and I am so sorry, I was going to come back, I came back but you were gone." He was reaching out to her; she had to be listening in there somewhere.

Ignoring his heartfelt apologies and claims of innocence, Romanoff continued "Yes, thank god Hansen's men found me before you came back, Barton. I don't know what you're playing but I'm not falling for it."

Feeling as if Natasha said anything else, Clint's heart would completely fall apart he marched straight up to her and roughly said "Stop it, just stop. I love you, and I will save you." And, without another word, turned and marched out. It almost made Natasha think he could have possibly been telling the truth… almost.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: So it's been a little while since I've updated but it's been an insanely hectic two weeks for me, I've had dress rehearsals til' at least 7:00 every night since two weeks ago, (yup we are hard core) and a ton of stuff on top of that but I will hopefully have the next chapter up soon, sorry if this one drags a little but the next one won't.

"We've been trying for weeks, Agent Barton. And you've barely left her side." Fury said.

"So?"

"I just don't know if- I mean... _when_ Agent Romanoff will regain her correct memories. And, we need you in the field, Barton. And-

"With all due respect, I think Natasha needs me more than you do." Clint wasn't leaving. Yes, they had been trying for several weeks without any success, and he was getting tired, and desperate and even a little bored but he wasn't leaving Natasha.

He looked from Fury through one of the one of the glass walls. She was sleeping now, looking so peaceful. This was the only time he enjoyed watching her because her expression wasn't full of confusion or anger or hatred or exhaustion. Everyone was exhausted; Natasha couldn't be brought back as simply as he had. But, somewhere there had to be a way to get her back. Because, there was no way he was living without her.

Fury looked Clint over and then sighed. There was too much determination in his eyes, too much strength. It made his heart fall. One of these days Barton would have to give up, the chances that Natasha would ever come back were very slim, but no one had told Clint yet. He'd try another day. With another sigh, Fury walked away to leave Clint to his hurting.

The second he did, she started to wake. Her breathing became more powerful and defined as her face scrunched up and her eyes fluttered. She seemed more beat than usual. He heard the door click as a male, brown haired, SHEILD doctor unlocked it and walked in with a tray of food. He watched as the doctor approached her, her face didn't turn hard and fill with hate like it usually did. She just looked worn out. The doctor set the tray of food on a table next to her. The doctor took a step back and pressed a button on a remote. Natasha's arm restraints opened allowing her to reach for her food. She usually relished in a good meal after the torturous conversations and tests. But today, she just sat and stared ahead, not saying anything or acknowledging anyone or anything's presence but her own.

"You're not going to eat?" the doctor asked. Natasha didn't respond. "Always knew this day would come. Don't know why we keep on trying with her." He mumbled to himself as he walked out.

"Hey!" Clint called to him as soon as he had left the room, "what's going on?"

The doctor rolled his eyes. "What does it look like? She's not eating."

"You don't know that, you just set the tray down. She could just not be hungry!" he assured himself.

"Agent Barton, in her weeks here, have you ever seen her wait until she was hungry to eat a meal? Have you ever seen her act like that? She's done. She's giving up. I've seen it before, and I'm seeing it now."

Tasha? Giving up? No matter what form she was in, in any universe or life or world, Natasha Romanoff didn't just give up. Clint was insulted. "What's your name?" he asked quickly.

The doctor pursed his lips, gave Clint a hard look and said "Dr. Jeremy Daniels."

"Well Daniels, I don't think you know what you're talking about. You don't know her."

"Neither do you, Agent Barton, neither do you. Nobody knows that woman in there." Jeremy replied tersely pointing at 'that woman in there'.

"We'll see."

"Please, _please, _Tasha, eat something. Drink something. _Say _something." Clint begged.

But, she just stared out into space, past her withered form reflected in the glass. And, that's what she was. A withered, dying flower that was once full of color and light and life but now, it's color faded and it's life and light fleeing by the minute.

Dr. Daniels had been right. She hadn't eaten or drank or spoken in four days.

He looked into her eyes; although she didn't look back he could see them too clearly, and what was within. She had surely thought someone would come to rescue her, or she'd have found a way to escape by now, so she had hung on until now. But, it was clear to her she wasn't getting out now. And she knew that they wouldn't kill her so she was starving herself. It all made sense, but what didn't make sense was the tiny flicker in Natasha's eyes that told the Hawk Natasha Romanoff had something up her sleeve.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I really wish I could have updated sooner but this has been the busiest time of my entire life, not even joking. Hope you like it.

Dr. Daniels was looking smugly at Clint as he exited Natasha's room. "It's been five days now. I think it's time we-

"We what, exactly, Daniels?" A thousand horrific possibilities went through Barton's mind of what Daniels surely had in mind for Natasha.

"We force-feed her." He stated like it was obvious.

He let the idea run it's course in his head. It was clear Natasha was shutting down and didn't seem like she'd open up, even if there was a little flicker of something more only Clint could see far enough into her soul to make out. She would die soon if they didn't give her food or water. And she was NOT dying on him. But he knew force-feeding her would be extremely unpleasant. This didn't have to happen. Without another word to Daniels and before getting permission to enter like he usually had to, Clint strode in towards Natasha.

He stormed up to her and with a sudden ferocity he hadn't ever used with her before, he _ "I'm giving you one last chance. Eat something. Drink something or things will get VERY unpleasant for you. And, God knows I don't want that." He wouldn't say anything else, there was nothing else to be said. Whatever Natasha did now, it was completely up to her.

Her breathing suddenly became more defined. That was what she did when she was deep in thought, Clint thought. Her eyes widened a little and finally looked straight at Clint, her eyes still very wide. And for one moment in time, it was as if the past few weeks hadn't even happened. It was just Clint and Natasha. Clint and Natasha.

She nodded and barely aware of it, he nodded back. He didn't even realize what this meant until she reached over to the table beside her, grabbed the new meal she'd been given an hour ago and began scarfing it down.

Clint couldn't help it, he laughed. He laughed and for a little while he couldn't stop. A huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

He turned around to see about five or six doctors clustered at the door, all of them smiling widely. Among them even Jeremy Daniels let himself to a small grin. "You did good, Hawk." He called across the room. Clint looked back at Natasha and she looked back up at him for a second but then quickly returned to eating. He leaned over and pushed a strand of her flaming red hair behind her ear and her face turned a little red, too.

He could do this. He could save her.

As Dr. Burke finished up for the day, she walked out with a smile on her face. It was only Dr. Burke and Agent Barton left, everyone else had gone home for the day. "You should go home tonight, get a good nights sleep for once, Barton." She told him as she bid him goodnight.

Clint wanted to sleep outside her room and watch her like he always did but the more he thought about it, the more he heard his warm bed calling to him from home. Besides, Natasha had shown major improvement today after her breakthrough and after all, she'd be there when he woke up.

He made his way downstairs, taking his time because he was so worn out. Clint took a double take at himself in the elevator wall mirrors. God, he looked terrible.

Clint reached the doors and laughed at himself, he'd forgotten his ID. Making his way back upstairs, while rounding a corner he ran smack into an Agent he vaguely recognized from somewhere but couldn't put a name to. "Oh, sorry!" Clint quickly apologized to the blond man.

"No, don't be. It was my fault. I didn't see where I was going." He started but then his eyes grew wide, "Hey! You're Clint Barton! Amazing job by the way, defeating Loki last year. I heard about Natasha, is she okay?" The quirky man rushed.

"Yeah, she'll be 100% soon enough. I know it." Telling the agent suddenly made Clint feel sure about it all and he picked up his pace, jogging back to Natasha's room. He felt better now than he had in a long time.

But, as he rounded a corner that good feeling shattered like glass as he was knocked to ground from a hard blow to the head. Clint hit the ground and tried to reach for his gun but whoever had hit him was quick and grabbed it before he could. Clint gave grunt and heaved himself up to face his attacker only to stop short.

Natasha Romanoff stood above him smiling, her eyes flaming brighter than her hair. She pointed his gun at his head and immediately demanded "Cover me on the way out or it's your life Barton." He had been right about the something more after all.

Aghast, Clint's mouth hung open before he could finally murmur "How did you get out?"

Natasha laughed. "When you all were so busy rejoicing over my breakthrough in those couple seconds, no one even noticed that I slipped this thing from my plate up my sleeve." Natasha admitted, flipping a knife in her fingers. "Those straps are strong when you are considering their purpose, holding humans in place. But with a blade, they broke within minutes. Now, back to business. I don't know my way around this part of SHEILD headquarters and even if I did, I couldn't get out without the assistance of another agent. And here you are. So assist me, Barton. Or, I swear I'll kill you." There was no lie in her voice. She would kill him if he didn't help her, which he couldn't. But, he also couldn't hurt her. Clint looked at her, really looked and for the first time in his life had absolutely no idea what he would do.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Sorry it took a little while longer to get the last chapter out but that was literally the busiest time of my entire life, believe it or not. I realize I've been updating about once a week or less even but updates will come a lot sooner after about a week. I will admit you probably won't get another one for about another week though, because I will be in Orlando and to be honest I will probably not be writing at all but hopefully I will make up for it soon. Now for chapter 6, I started off with a little back flash when Natasha was about to break out and then picks up where the last chapter left off.

Natasha gave herself five pure seconds to roll the knife around in her hands, her freedom. Natasha Romanoff wasn't a quitter in any form; she'd always be a fighter. Fighters like Agent Romanoff always have plans. Natasha indulged herself in the feel of the object. When was the last time she'd felt something so metallic?

And, suddenly the answer came and although she tried to fight it, the memory of that horrific day she was captured flooded her head and her five seconds were cut short. At first, she saw what she always saw when she remembered it. Agent Barton smiling and leaning over her nearly broken body, trapped by the metal, while she pleaded him to help her. Explosions were going off but he simply kept smiling and shook his head before running off. But this time that memory blurred and dissolved. The memory came back and at first Natasha thought it was the same one but when she saw Barton's face she realized it wasn't. He was worried. No, he was distraught. He was crouching over her, saying things she'd never imagined would come out of his mouth and soon he was trying with all his strength to get her out.

What was going on?

Natasha tried to stop remembering this scene, but it had infiltrated her head. Soon she heard herself saying things she couldn't possibly have said. What happened to the old memory? And why did this insane one seem so much more real?

Why would Clint Barton of all people be refusing to leave her? Natasha sighed as she saw herself do the first sensible thing in this memory, asked "_Why?" _ Yes, why was he acting like this?

And, suddenly they were kissing. It felt wonderful but oh god this was so wrong! This memory couldn't be real. She grunted loudly and forced herself not to see a second more. This place was getting to her. That was it. She did _not_ love Agent Barton, she tried to tell herself.

Gladly remembering the task at hand, Natasha started aggressively cutting at her straps. Freedom was so close she could practically smell it. But, what she could smell above everything else was the scent of Clint Barton. It made her insides turn. That man. There could never have been anything between them! The next time she saw him, she'd kill him.

_**Fifteen minutes later:**_

Clint Barton gulped and slowly nodded. "Okay." He whispered, pained. "But, I need to get my ID." He added, stalling.

Natasha motioned in the direction they needed to go and Clint started walking, Natasha followed. It occurred to him how silent she was, no wonder she'd been able to sneak up on him. But, instead of going back into Natasha's room where he had actually left his ID, he kept on going to Fury's office. Weeks ago he'd left his old ID that didn't work anymore in a drawer there. It had to still be there. It needed to be there.

When Clint got to the door he casually opened it, knowing this plan could fall through in a matter of seconds. Clint took a deep breath and carefully opened the drawer, Natasha cautiously watching him. She didn't remember him putting it in there, but something tiny and so vague it almost wasn't there screamed "familiar". Clint let out a minuscule sigh as he found his old ID lying untouched. He dangled it in front of Natasha to show her he'd gotten it. She smirked but didn't point the gun away from him.

"Come on Barton!" She beckoned. "We're wasting time."

Who could he call? How would he call them? If he did what would they do to Tasha? He just needed more time...

All Natasha was thinking about was how good it would feel to finally shoot Barton as soon as she didn't need him anymore. Yes, she was glad he had been the one she'd found. Just when she was contemplating how well the tables had turned on Barton a loud blare echoed through the halls. Both their stomachs dropped. They had been caught, they knew it. Natasha dropped the gun as ten SHEILD agents ran up to them and Clint started an explanation he had no idea where he was going with, but it didn't matter because the agents ran straight past them, gearing up as they went and one shouted at them "It's Hansen! He's here! He's _attacking!_"


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Finally back on track! Yay! You should expect updates more often now. Hope you like, please review.

The agents continued to run past Clint and Natasha, none of them noticing that they had an escaped prisoner. Clint quickly jumped in front of Natasha, trying to hide her face. "How did Hansen find us?" Clint yelled.

"If we knew, do you think it would've happened?" one of the men yelled back as they disappeared.

Clint looked back at Natasha, who had picked back up the gun Clint hadn't noticed she'd dropped. She pointed the gun at him again and smiled. "Looks like there's been a change of plans." Natasha smirked. "We stay here and wait for my people to find me. If anyone else comes along you'll cover for me."

"Your people?" Clint asked, now disgusted.

"Yes, just about the only people that actually care about me, never betrayed me."

"_We never betrayed you Tasha!" _he screamed, more frustrated now than he'd ever thought possible.

"Stop calling me that!" she screamed back. "Stop pretending that you're a different man from what I remember, because you're _not!_ You never fooled me with your Shattered Glass operation talk and you never will. You are the Clint Barton that always hated me." Deep down, Natasha really wanted to believe that this Clint, the one that stood before her wasn't a lie because the simple truth was she liked this Clint Barton; a lot. But, inside her head she kept telling herself it was all an act.

"What, and you think Hansen actually cares about you?! You _really _think that?!"

"I know it! Hansen gratefully took me in and showed me the way, and when SHEILD kidnapped me away from him, he came back to get me! No one here would ever do that!" Natasha defended while Clint was on his last nerve, the gun still pointed at him but yelling like it wasn't.

"You make me sick! Hansen doesn't care anything about you! You're a lab rat!"

"You'll see when he gets here. You'll see that I'm right."

"No, you'll see that I'm right." Barton retorted.

Down the corridor they heard several people coming and Clint, back to normal, quickly ushered Natasha into the nearest room and whispered "hide!"

When they were safely inside Clint said under his breath "I don't think the agents will be checking any of the rooms…." He began but stopped when he didn't recognize the people walking by. They weren't SHEILD agents. They worked for Hansen. Clint looked over at Natasha, she hadn't realized it yet. If she did, and she would soon than she would run out to them and he'd probably never see her again. Without a second thought he seized her abruptly and surprised, she dropped the gun again. But this time Clint kicked it away from her before she could react. He pulled her into his arms tightly and covered her mouth. She struggled hard but Clint was being fueled by a great desire to not lose the woman he loved.

The men who had been passing were in deep conversation. A conversation of importance.

"Brilliant! How Hansen found this place. Anyways, Hansen commands that Shattered Glass patient 23-

"You mean Natasha Romanoff? The one who was captured?"

"No the other patient 23! Yes, Romanoff! Hansen wants her found and taken care of immediately."

"You mean killed?"

"Don't you listen, idiot?!"

"Then, _why_ are we killing her?"

"We thought she might escape but she never did, so soon she'll start to transition into phase 2, if she hasn't already. She wasn't given the injections that would've stopped that, so she could've gone straight to phase 3 so phase 2 is no inevitable. And phase 2 would be very bad for Hansen. So we are stopping phase 2 by killing her. But, don't worry we have 10 other SHEILD agents alone, we don't need Romanoff."

"Then why are we attacking everyone? Why don't we just sneak in and steal her back?"

"What, you think we're only here for Romanoff? Hansen has much bigger plans."


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Okay, yes this chapter was also late but that's because I started watching Merlin a couple days ago and I've been caught up in that but I'll be done soon and also for the past two days I wasn't able to even get on fanfiction so yeaha as always please review!

Natasha's struggles immediately stopped. Her body went slack and the only thing supporting her was Clint's arms. Silent tears started to fall from her eyes. When was the last time she'd cried? Clint let go and Natasha crumpled to the floor.

"I am a lab rat. That's exactly what I am." She moaned.

"I'm sorry Tasha." Clint couldn't bear to see her like this. Her face was contorted in pain. Not physical pain because Clint could never hurt her, no matter what form she was in.

Almost like Tasha was the magic word Natasha jumped off the floor, all her anger returning. "I told you not to call me that! And….. And….. And, how do I know SHEILD didn't stage that whole thing to make me finally believe your story of how I was kidnapped and tested on by Hansen? Because if they didn't, can you explain to me why every memory I have of you and everyone else here not caring a thing about me are _so_ real? Why is it that everything inside of me tells me that Hansen never should have been my enemy?" she yelled.

"I don't know what they used to make you like this, but it's all because of Shattered Glass, I promise." Clint pleaded.

"Shattered Glass, Shattered Glass, what am I? A dropped wine glass?"

The arguing halted when the door burst open. Clint hadn't wanted anyone to come in but he would have much preferred for it to be SHEILD members. But, the odds have not been in his favor recently.

The two men who had been passing must have heard their shouts and came running back. How stupid they were being….. Of course someone would have heard.

One man was short, black and bald while the other was tall, rather pale and had black hair. They both had their guns out before Clint could even react. But, before they could shoot, Clint had thrown himself in front of Natasha and was raising his own gun.

"Please!" Clint shouted. "Please, let us go!" was all Clint could think to say to buy time. _What could he do? What could he do? _Clint had one gun while they had two. If he tried to shoot, Clint would only have time to shoot one and then the other would quickly kill him and then Natasha. He was a trained assassin; surely there was something he could think of. But, if he knew anything about Hansen it was that practically every one of his soldiers also was.

The tall man chuckled and the short one flashed his crooked smile. "I'm afraid we have strict instructions not to let that happen, Barton. We've heard of your love for Miss Romanoff, how touching it is." jeered the short one.

"Yes, I do love her. So just kill me, not her. You don't have to hurt her. She's no danger to you."

The tall one laughed again, but this time it was cold and hard. "See, that's where you're wrong. She is all the danger to us. More and more by the second. SHEILD would have been better off leaving her where she was."

"What are you talking about?" Clint asked.

"You really think they're going to tell you?" Natasha finally spoke up, her voice strained. Clint looked back at her briefly. He'd seen her in pain before. He'd seen her in ways he wished he hadn't. But, this took the prize. A brief glance was all it took to see she was completely ruined. "But they're right, Clint." She said slowly, finally using the name she used to. "You are wrong. I'm a danger to them." What was she up to? That was all Clint could think. "And, they have to kill me. So just step aside, and let them."

He turned around, shocked. Why was she saying these things? And, then burning through the darkness of this past couple minutes Clint saw it. A spark. A tiny flicker of a spark, but a spark none the less in Natasha's eyes. It was identical to the one in her eyes that time she was refusing to eat. He nodded, trusting this woman he hardly knew and stepped aside.

"All I ask is to know what stage 2 is before I die." Natasha pleaded.

"Very well, I suppose I could grant you your dying wish." started the pale, tall one. "Stage 2 is when the subject starts regaining their proper memories."

"Idiot!" the short one shouted. "Why did you tell her that?"

"We're about to kill her!"

Natasha sighed as the men bickered. So it was true. The memory that had changed before her eyes had actually happened. Clint really did love her. But, now was not the time to preoccupy herself with these thoughts. "Well thanks boys! That's really all I needed to know." And with a swift motion Natasha launched what Clint had thought would have been her last choice of a weapon. Her voice.

"Unit 58 and Unit 59, you are relieved of your duties." Instantly both men slumped on the floor.

Bewildered, Clint looked to Natasha. She gave him a small smile and in a whispery voice explained "In the short time I was working for Hansen he granted every one of his new….. agents information such as of his people who were no longer loyal. Chips were placed in their heads to not only make sure they would not switch sides but also carry out demands unwillingly if necessary only by calling them their unit name. By chance I guess I remember those two."

"Oh." Was all Clint could mutter.

"C'mon, let's go. You still have to get me out."

"What? But you know now that Hansen is not your friend." Hawkeye objected.

"Yes, I do. But, this isn't where I belong. The others wouldn't understand, they'd want to keep me here. Soon, I'll be regaining all my real memories and I'd like to be alone for that."

The silence stretched on for a few seconds before Clint said "Of course. I'm just happy your finally convinced." He'd get his Tasha back, he'd keep his promise. And with this information she knew, who knows what they could do to Hansen.


	9. Chapter 9

Things could be a lot better but Clint was overwhelmed in a feeling he hadn't been in too long. That feeling was being okay. He was okay.

He was going a route he was sure would be empty, it suddenly occurred to him that people might be noticing his absence. He had to get Natasha out soon. She was loyally following behind him. Clint could feel her looking at the back of his head. He smiled to himself.

"So faze 2 is remembering your correct memories," he whispered "that's good." Natasha nodded. "We still don't know what faze 3 is though." He added.

"I'm sorry; I should've thought of that I was just so caught up in wondering about… well, you know."

"I'm sure we'll know soon enough." Clint assured her. "Whatever it is, Natasha-

But what he was about to say was lost in time.

_Bang. Bang. Bang. _

The firing came from somewhere close. Natasha gave Clint a look and whispered "I thought you said this part of the building would be empty!"

"I did!" he whispered back. "The SHEILD agents will be chasing Hansen's so they must be on the move, looking for something."

"Can we just get out of here?"

"I'm trying!" he said in a tone he would've used on the old Natasha Romanoff. This one eyes him strangely for a second but then flicks her eyes away. He peered around the corner, squinting into the darkness and then walked on into it. Distracted, Natasha hadn't noticed that Clint had moved and Clint hadn't noticed she hadn't followed. Natasha came back to reality, when she saw a figure move through the dark near her who was too tall and too buff to be Clint. She didn't recognize it but did at the same time. Who was it? Where did Clint go?

Sneaking behind the person, she could make out blond hair but not much else. Being as quiet as she could, she could still hear two pairs of footsteps. Then it dawned on her.

He's following Clint.

_Oh god, Clint probably thinks it's me following behind him._ She thought to herself. The man had had his gun pointed at Clint's head for some time, he could shoot any second.

_No. Just, no. _was all she could think before pouncing from behind. The next thing she knew she was pinning him to the ground and looking into a face she didn't know but knew she should.

And, suddenly she was seeing herself on a destructed and empty bridge; talking to the man she currently had pushed to the ground. "Yeah, it'll be fun." She heard herself say with certainty but didn't have as much inside. She ran the few yards and launched herself from this man's shield and into the air.

Coming back to reality she looked questionably looked into his eyes. "Steve?"

AN: I understand there hasn't even been much Clintasha in this _Clintasha _fic but there will be soon, not exactly sure how soon but soon.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Chapter 10 here we go! We're about half way through, now I think. Anyway, hope you enjoy the appearance of our very own Captain America. As my favorite superhero I couldn't deny him an appearance in my story. He will also be returning later on.

"Natasha?!" he cried aghast, "you….. remember me?! What are you doing here?"

This man, he trusted her and judging by her newfound memory she sure trusted him. They were friends, she realized. She scrambled off of him. "Yeah, I remember you," she assures him while helping him up "and, sorry I thought you were one of Hansen's agents."

Clint comes running back, looking back and forth between Natasha and Steve. "Captain," he says stunned.

"Did you let her out?" Steve demands, now looking at Clint.

"Yes... I did." He said, protecting her. He was always protecting her. Natasha suddenly felt a gush of something else for Clint. But, now was no time for contemplating feelings.

"No, he didn't!" Natasha cut in. "He's just covering for me because I escaped. But, I realized that I was wrong… and you can trust me." She said the last part slowly, a few hours ago she didn't think she'd ever say those words to any agent of SHEILD again. "It's a long story, I'm sure Clint can tell you," she continued "but I still have to leave… for a while." Steve looked back at her uncomprehendingly. She put her hand on his arm and whispered "_please"_.

Nodding slowly, the Captain murmured back "okay." Steve hardly thought this was a good idea, but he trusted Natasha and he trusted Clint. "I'll distract them for you." Steve offered.

"Thanks, I'll owe you a favor." Clint responded.

"Two." Steve corrected.

"What?"

"You'll owe me two favors."

"Uh… why?" Clint asked.

Steve held out his ID to Clint and said, "Take this. You have the wrong one."

Clint looked down at his old ID and, smiling put it into his pocket. "Right. Two Favors"

**Half an hour later:**

Natasha was standing five feet before the last door to the outside world. It appeared to be a regular automatic sliding door, and that's what it was. Outside she could see cars and people and _life_ passing and changing, never staying still for even a second. She took a deep breath. How long had it been since she'd seen something like this?

She turned to Clint and took a step closer. "Thank you so much."

Clint smiled. "You're more than welcome."

"For everything, I mean. You didn't give up on me. You wouldn't when everyone else was ready to."

"They don't know you like I do."

Natasha's heart fluttered and there it was again. That something else. It couldn't possibly be anything less than real. And, the next thing she knew, she was kissing him. She'd closed the space between them in a second.

Clint was surprised for only a moment but then he found himself kissing her back, drawing himself even closer to her. And, in that moment it was just Clint and Natasha, there were no barriers or complications. As their lips parted, they still kept their faces within inches of each other. "Bye Clint." Natasha whispered, and turned away from the man she didn't know, walking out into the world she didn't know.

AN: What are Hansen's plans? What's faze 3? What will happen to Clint and Natasha? Find out soon, in about a week or so because I will be gone for about five days and will get little to no time to write then. I'm starting to realize I'm not the luckiest person in terms of getting time to write but I promise I'll commit myself more once I get back. Love you all, please review!


	11. Chapter 11

How could she have possibly forgotten about the Avengers? Natasha thought to herself. She had remembered Clint, of course but falsely. But, what about the others? Nothing, she hadn't remembered a single one. How did this thing work? Natasha needed to know.

Agent Romanoff sat up on the bed in her apartment. Thankfully she hadn't had to wait to remember this place. It had been waiting for her here all along, ever since she'd first been kidnapped. This place was simple and plain. Natasha had no bad memories here or necessarily any really good ones. She didn't spend that much time here, but her apartment was the only real home she had. That and when she was in Clint's arms…... Those two seconds she actually had been had felt like home.

_Ah, Clint._ The mystery man. She still couldn't believe the things she felt about him, now. A couple days ago she wouldn't have thought twice about snapping his neck but now….. when she thought about Clint Barton she felt alive and free. How could she have ever wanted to hurt him?

All she wanted to do was think about him, but right now there were more important matters at hand. Hansen wasn't resting and SHEILD still didn't know anything his plans. Natasha knew she could help them, probably a lot but first she had to remember who she really was and that would take remembering every single one of her correct memories. This was taking too long, she had spent three days sheltered here and had only remembered what she felt should be about half.

"Okay, focus, _think_!" she said to herself. She owed it to Clint to do this. God only knows what he was going through to cover for her back at SHEILD headquarters.

**Three days before:**

"You _what?!_" Director Fury agonized.

"I let her go. She has to complete faze 2, sir."

"She can complete it here!"

"No, I don't think she can. Agent Romanoff needs isolation for this." Barton replied.

"Well, how long will it take?" Fury pressed.

"I have no idea." Clint admitted. He really didn't want to talk about Natasha right now. "But, right now we have more serious matters. Do you know why Hansen attacked other than to kill Agent Romanoff?"

"We know his soldiers were making a diversion so he personally wouldn't be found stooping through the halls."

"But…. What did he do here?"

"Nothing." Fury sighed.

"I don't understand."

"The security cameras on the fifth level show that he didn't take anything, leave anything or even leave a single finger print. All he did was walk around."

"He could have been scouting out." Clint suggested.

"That's what we're afraid of."


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Yes, this chapter is short but this is my second update today. And, yes at this point in time she doesn't know Coulson is still alive. Like, seriously is that tearing anyone else apart? But don't worry, I totally know how he survived. Thor healed him with his magic Rapunzel hair! Review if you agree! Love you all, I really hope you guys are enjoying my story.

There was only one last memory, one last piece of glass to pick up. But, Natasha was feeling great. In fact she felt almost completely like herself again. She let herself smile a little. So, this was who Natasha Romanoff really was. A scarred and broken woman who had been healed at the hands of SHEILD. A hero. Not a villain. Not that terrible woman with a heart full of hate, not love. Natasha resented herself for acting and feeling those things. And, of course it was all Hansen's fault. How could she have ever pledged allegiance to a man like that? But, it didn't matter. Natasha wasn't that woman, she wasn't a villain. She was a hero.

A hero.

Natasha liked the sound of that. She wanted to run straight back to SHEILD and tell them all she knew about Hansen and take him down as soon as possible but Natasha really felt like she needed this last piece. She knew it had something to do with Agent Coulson and Director Fury. A conversation she had heard between them. But, she wasn't supposed to have heard it. What did they say? There was something blocking her from remembering. It was almost as if she didn't want to. Recalling that Coulson had died had been hard and painful so whatever this was surely couldn't be worse. It was something to do with Coulson's death, though…. No… Maybe?... Sort of.

It was _because_ Coulson had died that, she felt she owed it to him to live up to his high expectations.

Ah! What expectations?, Natasha thought. Something told her she'd be better off not knowing. But, that conversation had made it clear what Coulson wanted of Natasha. Whatever it was, it could wait. She had Hansen to take down, Clint to reunite with and faze 3 of Shattered Glass to tackle, whatever that was. But, Natasha wasn't Shattered Glass anymore. The Black Widow was back with all but a single chip.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: I wrote this as my AN two nights ago, thinking I was going to finish this chapter that night but then fell asleep. "Yup, so let me tell you all I just had the most challenging week of my life at camp at the Heifer Ranch. (Yes, this actually somewhat has to do with this chapter, but it's good.) This included a day where it was basically a free for all-every group of three to ten people for themselves-Hunger Games-The Perge-survival-totally on your own-barely any to none real adult supervision day-in something similar to what you picture as the wild-day. The other days were extremely challenging as well, and I haven't had a real shower, bed or air conditioned room in almost a week so I am beyond tired right now. _But,_ if I'm right, and I think I am, this is very good for my beloved readers. Because, I think I'm reaching my Special Kind Of Tired. This is when I get so hopelessly tired everything I am, everything I believe in gets turned around. A couple minutes ago, I ACTUALLY forgot Max Irons first name! Anyway, the one time I reached My Special Kind Of Tired and decided to write, it was Chapter 3 of my Les Mis Enjonine story and that chapter was probably the best thing I've ever written. Let me tell you, I don't take much pride in writing but that chapter was AMAZING! So, with luck this chapter will be even remotely as fabulously written." Now, what I wrote that night doesn't end at one point, it's all sort of mixed into this chapter and the next because I skipped around. Sorry for the long author's note today.

Clint blinked rapidly as if he were in a raging sand storm, to try and keep himself awake and focused. He was farther and farther away from the meeting he was sitting in with every passing second. Director Fury and ten other grim faced SHEILD agents had gotten almost nowhere in three whole hours. Tensions were higher than skyscrapers but everyone was especially treating Fury like a fragile vase not to break. Expressions were grim, bones tired, bodies worn and minds bended to the max. Nobody was in anything close to good shape but Clint was by far the worst. All he could manage to do was worry desperately about Natasha. Worry or wonder. Just, the simple thought of her was one thing he couldn't escape. It plagued him at night and he was only granted a few short hours of slumber a night. He couldn't focus on close to nothing. He had left the idea of contributing to this meeting in the dust after the first twenty minutes.

Of Course, Clint was overjoyed that he'd never have to lay eyes on Natasha imprisoned within these walls again. But, he still wanted to _see_ her. He knew any worrying was ridiculous, if anyone could take care of themselves it was the great Black Widow. But, he loved the great Black Widow. He loved her more than anything, and he wasn't sure there was a single thing he wouldn't do for her. Natasha Romanoff. Clint Barton needed Natasha Romanoff. He yearned for her very presence.

Clint wasn't the only one who had noticed his own weariness. He heard Fury sigh loudly and it brought him back to reality. It dawned on him that Fury was looking at him. No, almost through him. Through his soul. His eyes said_ '_I know exactly what is going on in your head and I don't like it.'

"Agent Barton, you are excused from this meeting." Nick said with his poker-face.

"What?" Clint was not expecting that.

"We all know this is a hard time for you, and you obviously need some rest. Go. Get. Some." He said the last part as if every word was so defined, so important it was its own sentence. It was an order.

Agent Barton nodded, knowing Fury was right. He shamefully lumbered out the room. There was a couch at the end of the hallway that was calling to him and Clint enthusiastically responded. The couch was smooth, soft and comfortable. Clint immediately lied down on it. But, now that he was here, it was like his exhaustion was leaking out of his body, as much as he wanted to Clint couldn't fall asleep. After a few minutes of wondering about Natasha, he sat up.

He looked down at his hands, memorizing every line on his palms, willing himself to get tired enough to fall asleep. But, he just couldn't do it. Was he being too ridiculous? Everyone else was tired and they were sticking it out. Yes, the days were harrowing but they were harrowing for everyone. This was the most crucial thing since the Avengers Initiative and Clint hadn't offered barely any help on this harrowing day. He stood up and turned to go back to the meeting but something stood in his way. Someone.

Someone beautiful.

How she had gotten there without him noticing, Clint didn't know and he didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that Natasha Romanoff was there. _She was there._ She was the Black Widow, a shadow that never really fit in or stuck around and he loved her. She wore a big grin on her beautiful face, and it widened at Clint's clearly amusing face of surprise.

"I missed you Clint." She admitted after a couple seconds. He was about to say he missed her too but the next thing he knew he was engulfed in her warn embrace. He took a second to react, making sure he hadn't actually fallen asleep and was now in the sweetest dream of his life.

No, this was real. He was sure of it. It should have been too good to be true, but it wasn't.

Before Clint could begin to express the storm of thoughts raging on in his head, Natasha whispered in his ear "I am _so_ sorry, Clint. I am. I can't even-I don't-I just-

"Hey, hey! You know this wasn't your fault. This was all Hansen, I was just in a meeting, planning and strategizing-

"Yeah, about that, you should probably stop calling him that. He's changing his name soon, he wants to become a real villain. A villain like the ones we've had before."

"What will his villain name be?" Clint ventured, wondering if he was pushing it.

"Shadow Paragon."

Clint nodded, not knowing what to say. _Shadow Paragon._ It was strange, cheesy, but creepy all at the same time.

"And Clint?" Natasha continued, "I love you. I love you so much. I'm _here_ n_ow. _I'm Natasha Romanoff, the one I'm proud to be, the one loyal to SHEILD, the one that loves you. And I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Yes, she promised. The kind of promise the universe wishes wouldn't be made. The ones that disgrace promises, because they intend to be honored but something, somewhere makes sure they aren't. This time, this something was the Shadow Paragon.


	14. Chapter 14

"No, Hansen doesn't necessarily know I've recovered my memories. He doesn't know anything about faze 2, all the other subjects of Shattered Glass skipped over faze 2. They skip over it because of the continued testing being done to them. The subjects are told it's simply medical precautions or something I can't believe I ever fell for. " Natasha clarified.

"And you say he's going to change his name?" Steve asked curiously.

"Yes," she continued "to go along with his newfound powers."

Everyone in the room stared at her, dumfounded. Finally Agent Briggs found his voice and asked "He has superpowers?"

"He's an evil mastermind who is also a scientist and is developing superhuman abilities to gain a lot of leverage against us. In some ways he is like many villains the world has faced before but… this guy is something else. He's planning something big, and it has to do with SHEILD, specifically SHEILD headquarters. Even I wasn't aloud that much information on it, but something's going down on June 20th. And it won't be good."

"This Friday." Agent Saba made words of what was burning into everyone else's minds.

Clint's mind was racing, his heart pounding. How had he been ready to fall asleep less than an hour ago? "But how do we know Hansen will keep his plans? I mean he must have some idea that Natasha could know and share them."

Disappointment leaked out from Clint and in seconds was spreading throughout the room like a flashflood. Only Nick fury seemed unaffected. "It's really not that hard, Agent Barton. We have to fake Agent Romanoff's death."

Heads rose once again and spirits with them. Only Clint was skeptical with Fury's plan. "Fake her death? How could we do that?"

But before he could respond, the lights flickered for a few seconds and then went out. The large TV screen hanging at the back of the room began to static.

"Someone's overriding our systems!" Dr. Althea yelled.

A sense of dread washed over Natasha. It was him. She knew it was. "It's Hansen! It has to be!" she shrieked.

Everyone stared at her. "I've got a feeling she's right. Natasha, get down." Fury instructed her.

"Wh-What?"

"Hide under the table! There's a camera on that thing for conferences. There's a good chance this Hansen will be able to see us so if he does, he can't see you. We have only seconds, Natasha! Go!"

When it came to the Shadow Paragon Natasha didn't want to hide. She wanted to fight. But, regardless she did as Fury said, comforting herself with the idea that she was fighting by hiding.

The TV's static turned to its usual clear picture but occupying the screen was the ugliest hearted man ever to do so. His bleach blond hair sagged against his pale skin. His big eyes were horrifyingly green and his ears stuck out of his round face. Hansen.

"Why hello SHEILD!" he cried excitedly as if he was a child. Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded.

"What do you want?" Director Fury demanded authoritatively.

Hansen became more serious, as if all the fun had died. "I want to know the whereabouts of Natasha Romanoff."

"Why do you think we'd tell you?" Captain yelled.

Ignoring Steve, Fury took the opportunity. "She's tied up somewhere safe."

Hansen clucked his tongue in disappointment. "She's still causing you problems? Well, I guess I'd have to take responsibility for that. And, she hasn't shown any sign of change? I understand you probably don't want to tell me much but I _do_ know much more about Shattered Glass than you do."

"She hasn't shown any changes." Fury told him.

"Well, she won't bother you much longer."

Clint instantly became more curious but he knew where Fury was going with the conversation and he knew just how to finish it. "Yes, because of you we have to execute her. She's only causing us problems now."

Hansen's eyes moved from Fury to Hawkeye. "Why Barton, you don't seem as sad as I thought you'd be about this whole ordeal! It's you Natasha loved the most."

"Yeah, and now she hates me the most. She's not Natasha anymore. If your best lab rat continues to live, she is a danger to us all."

The Shadow Paragon merely shrugged as if it were nothing of consequence. "Well, it's not like you won't be doing her a favor. She's going to die anyway."


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Guess what today is? My birthday! Yay! And a really awesome birthday present to me would be any sort of review (even if you hated it, I still like to know what people think as long as you provide reasons why/constructive criticism or whatever) or at least a follow/favorite or even just a read! Hope you like this chapter, especially the end. Love you all, and I seriously can't believe this story has more than two followers. 3

Suddenly, Clint lost sight of his act and snapped. "What do you mean she's going to die anyway?!" Clint yelled.

Hansen looked at them blankly as if it were obvious. "Faze 3 of course." Then he smiled a smug smile as if it had dawned on him. "Ahhhh, yes of course! I forgot how little you Agents of SHEILD know."

Natasha bit her lip, fighting the urge to jump out from under the table and throw something at the TV. Rage built up in Clint. "You're lying!" he blurted out too loudly for someone who didn't care. He quickly contained his anger and added "You'd never destroy your soldiers once they were on your side."

Hansen's eyes flickered with glee. "Would I? I don't know." He teased.

Apparently Agents Barton and Romanoff weren't the only ones who wanted to break the TV because the next thing they knew everyone was looking at a black, cracked and Hansen-free screen. Captain America's shield fell to the ground. "Sorry, he was getting annoying." Cap admitted.

Natasha crawled out from underneath the table, stood and stretched a little before saying "Thanks, Steve." She looked around the room. Everyone was staring at her.

"What?" Everyone was quiet. Clint put his arm around her waist. Natasha looked at him and then everyone else again. "You don't actually think he's telling the truth! Please, he's a liar! He's a _villain_!" She yelled. Part of her knew she should at least listen but she was too scared to believe any of it. This was the Natasha Romanoff that wanted to live.

"He's not." Fury sighed. "I don't know why but he was telling the truth."

"And, how do you know?" Natasha demanded, probably not giving him the respect he deserved.

"How do you think we always know who the right allies are?" Nick demanded "Why do you think we always have our conferences with them in this room, on this screen?"

"What?! There's a-a lie d-detector on it or s-something?" Natasha sputtered, refusing for what that stupid Shadow Paragon has said to be true. No. It just couldn't be.

"Yes, more or less. But, you and I both know that doesn't matter! What matters is that you need saving and-

"I do **NOT** need saving!" she exclaimed. She'd had her fair share of vulnerability and helplessness lately and she just couldn't take any more of it.

"Yes you do! I'm sorry but apparently if this genius is right, and I've got a hunch that he is, you are in serious danger and there is no use denying it! Believe me, I don't want to believe it either, this is the last thing we all need but we have to figure this out. We're going to help you."

She wanted to break down and cry. When was the last good cry she'd had? But, of course she couldn't have anymore of a breakdown than she was already having in front of the other agents and Director Fury. The last thing she needed was to get "time off to get her self together" or some crap. She'd had plenty of time off after being an Avenger and it had barely been two months before Natasha had been itching to get back to work. No way was she leaving again especially because of a lost reputation.

Clint's arm tightened around his girl, giving her strength. She immediately calmed down. "Right, of course. Whatever I'm dying from we'll figure it out but-

She stopped when her source of energy was cut. Clint removed his arm from her waist and put it to his head, his face growing paler by the second. Blood trickled from his nose but he couldn't wipe it away because the next thing Natasha knew he had collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath and wheezing.

"**_No_**!" Natasha screamed. "Clint! No!" She frantically looked around at the others in the room, someone had already called for a doctor but it would take at least a minute for one to get here. All she could manage to do was clutch his shoulders and think _No. No. No. No. No. No._ as hot tears spilled out. Dying had worried Natasha….. a lot…. But this? It was unthinkable. Never in her life had she ever wanted anything to be a dream more than now.

"How could I have been so _stupid_?" Natasha muttered. "Don't you see?" she was half talking to herself, half talking to the other SHEILD members. "The other subjects of Shattered Glass are still with Hansen, completing all the fazes and becoming his soldiers. They've become faithful but Hansen can't take any chances. To fully gain their unquestionable loyalty he had to give them the ultimate gift. The death of the one person they hate most, or think they do, because of Shattered glass, when in reality that's the person they love the most. But, Hansen couldn't just murder that one person for every Shattered Glass subject, SHEILD would catch on and protect those next in line. No, the murders had to happen all at the same time! Of course! It came directly from Shattered Glass." Natasha felt as if she was solving a mystery, putting together all the pieces at the end of an episode of a crime show.

"The subjects' minds settle in on that one person and think about them constantly, all that hate building up. Well, for a victim of this horrible scheme that hate went somewhere other than inside you. Yes, Hansen is a crazy scientist like many we've seen before but this man has the brains of all those other ones times ten. He must have created some sort of a connection between the subjects and their "one person". The hate could've turned into something poisonous, something deadly, so slowly but surely all those people would die and the subjects would be so grateful. They would be indebted to Hansen. Any doubt in the darkest recesses of their minds will be gone by the time faze 3 is over. But, Hansen knew there was a possibility, even if it was small that someone might escape or get rescued and not receive his prepared treatments and regain their correct memories now loving their "one person" again, if not more than before. If this were to occur, that victim would have to be ruined. So, of course their "one person" would still die. That's faze 3. You're either in or… gone. Hansen knew that after I regained my memories Clint would die, _he knew_. He didn't mean I would physically die; he meant die on the inside. He meant the great Natasha Romanoff would be ruined, once and for all. Because no one can go on living without their "one person".

By now Natasha's eyes were puffy and red, her face only getting wetter and wetter. She leaned in to Clint, who was barely hanging on and kissed his forehead then whispered to Clint so only he could here, "You are the one person in the universe I cannot live without. You are _not_ going to die on me, not any time soon." Well, she'd finally gotten her good cry.

AN: Remember when I said I hoped you'd especially enjoy the end? I'm not really sure what I meant by that. Let me just say that was a little intense.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: There will be another Avenger entering this story but who will it be?

"There _has_ to be something you can do!" Natasha screamed.

"I'm very sorry Agent Romanoff but I can only help him if I know what's hurting him. Whatever is killing Agent Barton is something we've never seen before. We can't even identify it." Dr. Burke confided.

"Dr. Burke," Natasha began with a deep breath "what can _I_ do to help?"

"I don't follow." The beautiful, blond doctor admitted.

"I mean is there anything I can do to get Hansen to tell us how to cure Clint." Director Fury would be furious but it didn't matter. This was Clint Barton's life. He wasn't losing it. Not today or any time soon.

Dr. Burke sighed. "I know you're desperate. I would be too. But, I don't know what contacting… _that man_ would do. He's not giving you anything that will help Agent Barton."

Natasha sighed and looked over at Clint's hospital bed. He was so pale and the sweat building up on his forehead was so cold. Clint's lips were blue and his breathing was so ragged. Just the sight of him like this made her want to curl up in the cot next to him and bawl into his chest.

Natasha clenched her fist. "You don't know that." She murmured under her breath, with one last squeeze of Clint's hand. Before she knew it, Natasha was storming out of the infirmary. She heard what she thought was her name being called but everything just sounded like one loud buzz. Where was she even going?

_Away._ That was the first answer that came to her. She wanted to run away from all her problems and just be a normal person with a normal job and an easy relationship for just one second. But, Clint needed her so away was not an option.

Her surroundings were whirring and the buzz in her ears only became louder. She tried to slow down so that she could come up with a plan but couldn't.

_Wham!_ Before she could comprehend anything, Natasha was sprawled on the ground, clutching her head. She'd been so distracted that she'd run into something. Someone….

"Fury?" The buzzing and whirring was gone and she was left scrambling to get up, with a slight ache in her head and the face of her Director leaning over Natasha.

"Romanoff." Fury exhaled as if he'd been looking for Natasha but dreading their meeting. "Have you been watching the news?"

"The news?" Natasha was now completely upright and trying to keep her cool. "I haven't really had a chance to watch the _news_ Fury,-

"That's what I thought." Fury continued, cutting her off. "I wanted to tell you that you were right. Our villain has made a big show of getting himself known overnight. He's taken control of all the criminal activity in NYC and has proclaimed himself The Shadow Paragon. The whole world is aware of him now."

"Is that all?" Natasha wasn't sure whether this would change her unmade plans or not.

"And.." Fury rolled his one eye. "And, you have a visitor. I'll let you two talk."

Fury stepped aside and there stood the one and only Tony Stark. They waited until Fury was out of earshot to say anything. "Hi Natasha." Tony respectfully nodded. Normally he would make a joke or Tony Stark comment but obviously now wasn't the time and he knew it.

"Stark." Romanoff nodded back. "Why are you here? I thought you were still taking time off."

"I know what's been going on here at SHEILD, I've been kept well informed. Pepper made me promise not to get involved until yesterday." Natasha stood there, staring at him, not comprehending. "Because, … because of what happened to Clint."

"You heard?" Was all she was able to whisper back.

"Of course I heard. I hear everything." He said with a smile. "That's why I'm here. I'm going to help you save him."

"No matter what it takes?"

"No matter what it takes." Tony agreed.

"Good."

AN: So it's Iron Man! Personally I'm even curious to see where this goes. Also, I can't wait until Capcicle makes a reappearance.


	17. Chapter 17

AN: This chapter came out a lot stupider than I originally thought and I really just couldn't get it right but I need to update so yeah.

"Why do you want to help me?" Natasha asked curiously.

"You'd do the same for me if Pepper was dying."

Dying. Clint was dying. She hadn't really thought of it that way, but it more than true. It was a terrible truth, but at least it wasn't a wonderful lie. There had been enough lies.

_Stop wasting time. _She told herself. "Right. What do you have in mind?"

Tony smiled. "Let me show you, Black Widow."

**Thirty minutes later:**

Stark had gotten into the control room in under thirty seconds and in another thirty seconds he was tinkering with the wiring and electronics. Natasha stood guard outside the door, taking deep breaths. She wished more than anything that she could be in that room, playing with computers or whatever he was doing. Anything to keep busy.

After about ten minutes, Natasha couldn't stand it anymore. She burst into the room, Tony turned around startled. "Ah. I was just about to go and get you. Come see this."

"Sure you were." She grumbled but came over anyway.

Stark ushered her over and pointed to a computer screen. Then he rushed into the detailed explanation of how they could connect with Hansen and convince him to save Clint with what he just found out, ending in "Yeah,….. and then finally we're screwed with SHELD" when it was clear Natasha barely understood what he what he was saying.

She made a straight face and said "I don't care."

But the truth is she did. SHEILD had taken her in and given her a purpose. The people here had welcomed Natasha with open arms and open hearts when she couldn't even return the favor. Yes, she felt guilty knowing every SHEILD member, ever, (aside from Iron Man) would look down on begging with the enemy. Even at the very least it would lose her respect and at the most her job but neither were as important as Clint.

Nothing was, really.

She took another look at the computer and immediately felt her head get lighter. This plan was crazy. But she also immediately felt something else settle in her. Hope. This last month or so had been so messed up, she needed hope and so she accepted it.

Deep down in every human being lies at the very least a reasonable person and reasonable was exactly what they were hoping of this shadow.

She got up and walked out. No one had passed this way at all, Natasha realized. But of course. It dawned on her. No one wanted to pass _her _way. Not that she could blame any of them. But, in that moment she had never been more grateful to anyone than she was to Stark.

Not that she'd ever admit it.

"C'mon Black Widow." Tony shrugged as he walked out of the control room. "We got work to do.


	18. Chapter 18

Natasha walked slowly back into the infirmary, glanced around for signs of Dr. Burke and then swiftly scampered over to Clint. Stark was back in a smaller conference room without a smashed TV screen, arranging everything for their…. _conference call. _Tony didn't want her helping in fear she'd mess something up with the complicated equipment so he said she should go see Clint. Natasha had been totally lost anyway when he tried to explain how he could contact the place Hansen had contacted us from.

Clint seemed paler than before but his breathing was a little less raggedy. She ran her fingers through his hair. Suddenly, his eyes flickered open, with much effort it seemed so they stayed open for only a moment. But he had seen her there, beside him, and that was all that mattered. "T-Tasha" he managed with difficulty and then swallowed.

"I'm here. I'm here." She whispered, trying to comfort him.

"What….. ha-happened?"

Natasha groaned almost silently. She didn't want to but she told him why he was miserably dying in a cot. She told him everything besides what she was planning on doing to save him but in short, he was now the one who was shattered glass and it was Natasha's fault. Clint had helped her pick up the pieces and now she was doing the same.

Clint remained silent, barely able to nod but fully capable of looking pained as well as hopeless and sorrowed. "Don't you worry, Agent Barton. I've got a plan. I'm going to save you." Natasha assured him.

"Yes, but _how_ exactly are you going to save him is the question Agent Romanoff. Isn't it?" came the voice from across the room. One of the only voices that ever deep down, managed to give her chills. Nick Fury.

"Fury." She breathed under her breath.

"Dr. Burke told me what you said to her and judging by what you've just told Clint, I think you're actually planning on doing it. Are you? …. Don't lie to me Agent Romanoff."

Natasha was silent for a couple seconds. What _could_ she say? And more importantly how could she have been so stupid to let this happen? "Yes." She finally admitted, "But, only to save Clint."

Fury roared at that. "You're coming with me, Agent."

Natasha scoffed "What?"

"I said you're coming with me."

"No!" cried Natasha. "Please, Fury! Let me help him."

"We're all trying to help him. But, it isn't your job to go off and decide you're going to make a deal with our prime enemy right now to do so! We'll find another way to save Agent Barton. Now, you're coming with me."

Natasha felt her throat burning. "Where?" Fury said nothing but turned to leave and Natasha followed, knowing if she didn't go quietly she'd still end up going. As she followed him through the building many of the places she thought he might take her were eliminated. Soon enough it dawned on Natasha where they were going. "Director Fury, is this really necessary?"

"I would say it's for your own safety but really it's for SHIELD's."

"What about Agent Barton's safety?" She called as he deposited her into the holding cells. Her "cell" was a white and clean small room with a metal table and chair with a glass wall on one side but it was prison none the less. She slumped down in the chair as Fury locked her in. She thought of all the places in the world and couldn't imagine another place she wouldn't rather be. This is how she got by for the next couple minutes until a sound brought her back to reality.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _It was coming from the glass wall. She looked up and saw Stark knocking on it. Astonished she ran up to the glass. "Stark!" she called, raising her voice a little so he could hear her through the glass.

He looked at her with mocking eyes. "What did you this time?"

"This isn't funny!" she retorted, embarrassed.

"I contacted this Shadow Paragon without you when you didn't come back. I thought you had just gotten held up, sorry."

"You contacted Hansen?!"

"What did you think I'd give up on you?"

"Right." She said, realizing something was a little off but of course it didn't matter right now. Almost nothing did. "What happened?" she demanded.

"He said if you did something for him he can spare Barton's life."

"Did he say what?" Not that it really mattered, Clint could be saved!

"No, he told me he would talk to you as soon as he got here."

The words pounded through her hear, all through her system until they were finally retained. _As soon as he got here. _"HE'S COMING HERE?!" Tony nodded as if it were obvious. "What?! How?! Why?! I don't understand! I thought he was smart!"

Something flickered within Tony that wasn't quite like himself. "He is."

"Stark, you have to get me out of here."

"Even though I _could _with my amazing gifts a bunch of alarms would start going off. And, I think this would be the last place you'd be expected to meet him."

"This wasn't my idea!"

"You're still meeting him. Or would you rather have Clint die?"

"No, I'll talk with that disgusting man." She decided. "I hate him more than I thought possible but I'm not losing Clint."

In the silence following Natasha thought that at least she'd face him as herself, not some warped version of herself. Her memories had given her back to herself. It dawned on her that she still had one piece missing. That one memory of Coulson talking to Fury. She thought of the last time she had wanted to reach it but couldn't because of the burden she knew it would bring. What burden could be greater than the one she was bearing now? If she was going to face Hansen, she knew she'd have to as her full self. Concentrating, she put all her energy into accessing this memory.

_Natasha gasped as everything changed. She saw herself leaving after a long day and a long report after a tiring mission. She just wanted to go home and sleep. She laughed at herself as she pictured her bed waiting for her. She would have such a nice two weeks off. Practically stumbling along a corridor in the SHIELD headquarters she noticed voices coming from around the corner. She recognized them immediately. Agent Coulson and Director Fury. What were they doing out here at this time of night? She pressed herself against the wall, hiding in the shadows and straining to see and hear the two men. _

_"I know, I know." muttered Fury. _

_"No Sir, I don't think you do. Yes, she's strong and has greatness in her but it's more than that. You told me once that I could see through rookies like glass. I didn't really believe you until I met Agent Romanoff." Natasha held in whatever noise she would have made. They were talking about her. Why? It's not like she was that important. "She seems impenetrable with all of the walls she puts up but I knew from the first time I met her she was something else. That woman has it in her to either save us all or destroy us all." Fury started to say something; Natasha hoped it had been "That's absurd." But Coulson cut him off. _

_"I mean it. One day she'll get herself into a situation and she'll have to make a choice. I have faith in her but I don't know how much. SHIELD has been her new home but just how loyal she is to it when her loyalty is put at stake, I don't know. I know it would take a lot to break her but there are many people out there with a lot. We have to watch her, that's what I'm saying. And, I only hope that when the time comes she'll save us."_

Natasha came back to the small white room with the one glass wall but part of her was still back hiding in the shadows. Phil, oh Phil. He could always see right through her. Even more than Clint, sometimes it seemed. Natasha was a lot like the room she was in now, and she knew it. She had put up walls all around her, but if you stood on the other side of the glass wall, you can see everything inside. Coulson had always been standing in front of the glass wall, more now than she ever knew. It's not like she wanted to think about that conversation all that often but after Coulson died; the first thing she thought of was how she couldn't let him down. She hadn't expected a situation like this to ever come but could it about to be?

She heard another knock on the glass and looked up, expecting to see Stark again but this time it wasn't. Hansen had an amused look on his face as if he was more than happy to see the Black Widow imprisoned, which of course he was. He seemed more pallid than Natasha remembered. She tried to see him as weaker this way, but really he was just scarier.

He opened up the door as if it didn't have a thousand security locks and strolled right in. Tony gave him an astonished look as if to say "_Even I couldn't do that_!" I guess that's why he's the evil genius. He was wearing a standard SHIELD uniform, so he could fit in because he didn't have his little foot soldiers as protection this time.

Hansen took a seat down at the table as if he were more than comfortable.

"How did you get here so fast?" Natasha snapped but she didn't really care.

"Well, isn't it obvious? ...Oh think about, dear."

What was he talking about? Then, "_Oh. _Of course! This is what you were scouting out for, right? This? Right now? This is all part of your plan."

He looked at her and gave a wicked smile telling her she was right. "Did you really think _I_ wouldn't know if there was a spy working for me? He's not loyal to SHIELD, he's loyal to me. He brought you back because I told him to. The man never rescued you, he destroyed you. This was always the plan. And, SHIELD bent willingly just where I'm going to break."

She glanced to the side at the mention of SHIELD as if looking at what little headquarters she could see would help. And there he was. Stark, as he had been standing there all along but now he was different. He was _smiling._ There was a whole aura about him that was different. He wasn't himself at all. That's what had been off about him before. "No, Stark." She whispered. She looked from him back to Hansen and then to Tony again.

"Well aren't all the pieces coming together now, aren't they little Natasha? Yes, Stark is with me."

"WHAT?! No. He'd never work for you!"

Hansen leaned in and whispered in Natasha's ear "Well it's not like he had much of a choice about it."

"You brainwashed him?"

"Do you really think he'd rush to help Clint and betray SHIELD as soon as he heard about the incident just because you'd do the same for him? Please."

"Yes. He would do just that for me. He's an idiot but I know he would."

"Whatever dear, we didn't come here to argue about Iron Man, we came here to make a bargain."


	19. Chapter 19

AN: I never ever expected this story to take the turn it did and become something so much bigger than I ever planned. I thought it would never stretch out to even fifteen chapters and here we are. Thank you so much for your continued support even throughout all my stupidity.

Hansen chuckled and flashed an ugly smile. "Now I know what you want. You wish to save the life of your beloved little boyfriend. But, as for-

"Actually," Natasha cut in "I'd also like you to return Stark to himself, let him go."

"Very well," Hansen huffed "I only really needed him for this. But as I was saying, what I want from you is the matter of discussion."

It hit her for the first time that this conversation was going to lead to something very painful for her. "What do you want from me?"

Hansen chuckled as if to say 'What _don't _I wantfrom you?' He paused for dramatic effect and then, "I only have one way to save Barton but I can still save him."

"_How_?"

Hansen's face was more amused than Natasha had ever seen. "By giving him this,"-he pulled out a small tube of blue liquid-"he'll be cured in under a minute."

She looked at the tube and then back into his eyes. "But what's the catch?"

Hansen shrugged. "If you'd like to call it a catch, Barton becomes a… shattered glass, if you will. And I take him with me back to lab."

Natasha felt like she might throw up. Was he saying what she thought? "Are you telling me that I can either let him die or let him turn into a SHIELD hating, Shadow Paragon loving shadow of his former self like I was?"

"Precisely." He sneered. "I realize neither of your options greatly appeals to you but he will die soon if you don't allow me to fix him."

"Exactly how much time does Clint have?" Natasha demanded.

Hansen glanced at his watch. "I'd say in about an hour."

The Black Widow no longer felt like a black widow, all nimbleness, precision and beauty. Her insides were spinning. She hadn't realized he had so little time left and now she was faced with this… how could someone even call it a choice? If she saved Clint he wouldn't even be himself anymore, and even worse he'd be helping Hansen and could very well bring down SHIELD. Himself or not, the Hawk was just that good. But, then again how could she let Clint just die? She knew he'd rather die than get brainwashed again but…. What if she could get him back? He could get better just like she did and get back to himself and he'd still be alive. But if Natasha failed and didn't get him back Barton and his bow and arrows would be the death of them all. It would be the destruction Coulson was talking about. He'd been right all along about her. And if Natasha just let Clint die they'd all be a lot safer and could probably bring Hansen down.

But what was a life without Clint Barton? She wouldn't be able to go on anymore. Before when she'd built up walls and not let anybody touch her heart things were easier. Easier but not better. Clint had laughed in the faces of those walls and now she needed to laugh in the face of every wall that kept her and Clint apart. Because it wasn't happening. He wasn't dying.

"Save him. Take him. Shatter him and turn him into something he's not." Natasha fiercely declared, leaning in so close to Hansen's face. "But know this dear enemy, we _will_ get him back. And you _will _lose."

She thought he would laugh or at least look amused. But he didn't, he held a poker face as he got up to leave out the door. Natasha was about to yell that he had to hold up his end of the deal when she realized he had. He'd left the tube with the blue liquid in it on the table and another one next to it with yellow liquid in it. "Blue for Barton, yellow for Stark, it's been a pleasure doing business with you Natasha." He said like they had just made some normal business deal. It was about the farthest thing from it you can get. Had she just sold SHIELD out or could she save it too? What would Agent Coulson have wanted her to do?


	20. Chapter 20

Natasha awkwardly patted Stark's shoulder when he muttered for the third time "I still don't understand what happened." The poor guy. At least he'd been able to process enough to get Natasha out. Now it was time to give the remedy to Clint. As soon as it was set in her mind she was sprinting to the infirmary. It took about ten minutes to get there unnoticed; after all, she was supposed to be locked up. Once the infirmary was in view it was clear there were several people in it. I need a distraction, thought Natasha. She let herself smile just a little bit when she felt the cold glass of Tony's tube still pressed in her palm. She hadn't had time to dispose of it.

She chucked it as hard as it could down the hallway. It went flying and shattered as soon as it hit the ground. The several doctors and agents inside the infirmary looked up in confusion when they heard the noise. They all rushed out and looked in the direction it came while Natasha hid. When one agent decided to inspect the glass, they all went, leaving the infirmary unattended. It was shattered glass that would save him and Shattered Glass that would destroy him.

Natasha knew this was her only chance. She scampered through the door and over to Clint's cot. It was clear he was barely hanging on. All of his sick features-pale skin, blue lips, ragged breathing, and sweating forehead-had all increased. She put her hand behind his neck and titled his head upward. Then she took Clint's tube with the blue liquid in it and lifted it to his lips. She forced the liquid down although it did not want to go; all thick and sticky it ran slow as a slug. Within thirty seconds his face and lips began to regain its coloring. His breathing became more regular and he even started mumbling a thing or two Natasha couldn't hear. Of course she was happy but she didn't let herself forget that the Clint that was about to come back to her was not the one she loved.

His eyes flew open and he gasped for breath. She instinctively put her hands on his chest. He didn't look at her but grabbed her wrists as he found the air around him. His hands found hers a couple seconds before he finally looked up at her.

But in the moments before Clint did, he felt nice with the warm hands touching him. They made him feel safe; surely the face of this person would make him feel even better. He was dead wrong. He looked up into the eyes of Natasha Romanoff. He moved his hands from hers back to her wrists. He sat up and pushed her to the ground hard in the blink of an eye. "Clint!" she gasped. "It's me! It's Natasha!" she looked sincere but hopeless. Barton had known her long enough to know this was an act. She tried to get up but Barton slapped her across the face and she fell back down.

"I know who you are." He spat.

Whatever reason I was in the infirmary it was surely her, Clint thought. My nemesis since training. She'd never cared about me. She'd always hated me. She'd tried to kill me. I'd never done anything to her. Well that was about to change. The SHIELD that I knew wouldn't have honored an agent like Romanoff but they did. SHIELD had changed, they'd hated me, out casted me. So of course I was now loyal to Hansen.

Natasha tried to get up again, but Clint kicked her in the chest and she went down again. Fake fear and horror in her face transformed to rage. Her assassin skills kicked back in and she had Clint pinned on the floor in five seconds. But her weight couldn't hold him and he flipped her over.

Natasha thought back to the time Natasha had been fighting Clint when he was under Loki's spell. She had hit him really hard on the head. That wouldn't bring him Clint back now. Hansen was smarter than Loki. Not more powerful, but smarter. Loki had entire alien army behind him and Hansen was on his own. Was he?

On that thought Natasha was caught off guard as Clint grasped Natasha's throat before she could block him. Natasha's lungs searched for air as Clint's grip tightened and tightened.

"Lay off her Barton, we're going to need her." It was Hansen. He was standing above them; the amused look on his face was back and more pronounced than ever. Clint looked from Natasha to Hansen and reluctantly let her go.

"Sir, I didn't know you were here." Barton's admiration showed in his voice. Natasha's lungs thanked her for the air it was now receiving, sweet and beautiful but her stomach dropped at the sight of Hansen and Barton's allegiance to him.

"That's okay. I didn't say I was coming. I came to bring you back to my lab with me. Ready to go?" His tone was so casual with Clint, like they had been friends a long time. "I'll catch up in a minute; I believe I have to talk to Agent Romanoff here."

With one last spiteful look at Natasha, Clint started away from them. Natasha didn't try to stop him. She knew she couldn't.

"Why didn't you give it to him yourself and then just take him? Why did I have to do it?" Natasha asked.

"Because I want you to know that he really does hate you as much as you hated him."

"Why didn't you just take him from the beginning? It would have been a lot easier…"

"Yes, it would have. And that was always the plan. To get him. To use him. You were good for me, in fact much better than the others but I knew he would be great. So when I found you instead, pinned down in the rubble, I knew I could use you to get to him."

"But you're still not done with me?"

"Of course not. You're coming with me too."


	21. Chapter 21

AN: I AM SO SORRY THIS IS SO LATE!

Whatever Hansen told Natasha to do, she immediately did save one time. The first time. When he told her to get into the car and Natasha put up a fight Hansen promptly took out a small device, which turned out to be a taser and tased Clint from behind. Clint had grunted in agony and turned around to find the taser in Natasha's hands where Hansen had tossed it and she had instinctively caught it. It never happened again. Or at least not for a while. Even when the pale man told her to drink a sleeping sedative for the journey she did, knowing he's just hurt Clint again and blame it on her. Eight hours later she woke up feeling like it had been two seconds. She was lying on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed built into a small aircraft. Hansen was driving and Clint was leaning against the wall, watching her like a hawk. But this time it was different now. When he'd acted like a hawk before it was out of loyalty and fierce protectiveness. Now when he bore his eyes into her, he was a hawk out of distrust and hate.

He stared at her and she stared back, wondering how they'd ever gotten to this point. But she knew exactly how. _Hansen._

Trying to figure out where they were was pointless because since Natasha had woken it was clear that they were quickly descending. There was nothing to see for miles but vast grasslands. The air craft landed on a landing stretch outside a huge structure that was a blur through the aircraft's windows. The door slid open-automatically it seemed-and showing off the beautiful outdoors. Yes, it was beautiful out there and Natasha hated it even more because of it. The seemingly infinite grasslands were unexplainably calming and peaceful as the wind blew through the tall grass. And that was just the beginning. The sky was so blue, not a cloud in sight. A crystal river snaked around the lab, glimmering when reflecting the radiant sun. But the building itself was by far the most impressive part.

It was acres long and fifty stories high. "How could you ever hide this?" Natasha couldn't help but ask although it was primarily for herself not Hansen. But he perked up when she asked.

"I used a cloaking device of mine. I'm glad you're curious now, I'm sure you'll find that you recognize most of the interior although I still find it very impressive and I can't count all the times I've been here."

Natasha said nothing else. It was time she kept her mouth shut. It wasn't as if she wanted to say anything to Hansen and there were a million things she wanted to say to Clint but couldn't. Hansen led them off the landing strip which held a few helicopters and small planes. They entered through a garage and Natasha couldn't help but notice how Clint's eyes lit up when he saw the rows and rows of larger and far more advanced planes and cars and trucks. The Clint she knew would have been exited like a little kid, this stash of vehicles was even nicer than SHIELD's. But this Clint was merely impressed. They made their way through the rows, Natasha and Hansen not taking a second glance, Clint taking it all in a little more every few seconds.

By the time they got to the big glass elevator there were people milling around. Two agents working for Hansen approached them. One was a tall blond woman and the other was a muscular man with flaming red hair. Natasha instantly recognized them as Shattered Glass subjects. They had been her colleagues here and back at SHIELD. Natasha recalled their names as Monica and Bruce. Monica and Bruce nodded respectfully to their boss and immediately began hounding them with questions. "I thought you were a traitor to us." Monica barked at Natasha.

"Oh I am." She assured her with a taunting smile.

"What's Barton doing here? Is he working with us now?" Bruce politely asked Hansen.

"Why as a matter of fact, yes he is. Only had the chance to bring him over here today." Hansen answered quite lightly.

"And what's the traitor doing back here? Are you going to torture her or something?" Monica continued, vicious as a viper.

"Probably something like that." Natasha cut in with the same smile but a cold chill trickled down Natasha's spine. And for a second she let herself be afraid for herself and not just for Clint.

Hansen turned to Clint "Will you go take this elevator to floor 32? The agents quarters are there. Your room should be at the end of the hall. Get some rest. I'll give you an assignment in a couple hours, Barton." Clint nodded and proudly strutted into the elevator. The next one came in a couple of seconds, way faster than any other elevator she'd ever seen before. Hansen pressed a button and the doors opened. He beckoned her inside and she followed. "I trust you both have assignments to fulfill." Hansen told Monica and Bruce who scurried off before the doors closed.

They rode silently and swiftly the very top floor. Natasha raised an eyebrow in mock astonishment. "Oooohh, top floor. The only one we're not allowed to go on. I finally get to find out what's up here, is that it?" She pressed the open doors button but the door stayed shut. Confused she pushed it several more times. Hansen laughed and pulled a ring of keys out of a pocket and jingled them with a smile. "Of course." She muttered.

Hansen pushed one of the keys into its slot under all the buttons. The doors slid open to reveal a sleek and shiny room filled with nothing other than what would become Natasha Romanoff's worst nightmares. They walked out into the room. It didn't have walls, just glass windows giving them an amazing view of the grasslands they were in. It would be a comforting view in the days that followed.

At the other end of the room there was what seemed to be another elevator because there was an elevator shaft leading all the way down to the side of the building. You could see it from every floor. There was also metal elevator doors that you obviously couldn't see through. But down the shaft there were no cables no nothing. Natasha wondered what could be behind the doors if not a harmless elevator. She pointed to it. "What is that thing?"

For the first time Hansen looked Natasha in the eyes with a sincere trace of pity. "You're end. But don't worry. You're not going to meet it just yet."


	22. Chapter 22

"Stop. _Stop!_ Please, I am begging you" Natasha screamed, electric agony coursing through her veins. Two tubes were injected into her wrist and grey colored serum was flowing rapidly through them. Hansen had been testing on her for weeks. What he poured into her body now caused pain similar to being electrocuted.

A nurse stood over her strapped down body, and patted the bed beside Natasha, afraid to touch her. The nurse was the one administering her the torturous serum. The nurse was among several other people who tested Natasha. Usually Natasha only caught glimpses of these people, being too delirious or tired or pained and began to know them by the attributes that stuck out. The woman with her now was Red Hair. There was also Green Nails, Big Nose and strangely enough, Yellow Eyes. Natasha hadn't seen Hansen himself since the day he first brought her to the top floor. Red Hair soothingly crooned "I'm almost done sweetie, just a few more seconds and then the pain will stop." Of course this aggravated Natasha only more.

Not being able to help it, Natasha let out a scream that could've reached the heavens. Red Hair stopped the serum five seconds early to put her hands over her ears. The pain started to dull slowly and then rapidly left Natasha's body all at one. One second she was screaming and the next she was gasping for air. "I want to see him!" She croaked.

Red Hair sighed. "You know you can't see Agent Barton for a while, remember? Trust me, It'll be good for you."

Natasha silently scoffed at the idea of Red Hair knowing what was best for her but kept going. "I don't mean Barton, I mean Hansen."

Natasha saw real curiosity seize Red Hair. "Why would you want to see him?"

"Because he brought me to his tower in the middle of nowhere, is putting me through all these tests with no explanations of what they even do to me and he's doing _God_ knows what to Clint and hasn't even shown his face for days! Somehow I think I'll get a lot more answers out of him than I will out of anyone else! Where is Hansen?!"

Red Hair paused for a couple seconds. "He'll be back soon." She finally said.

"Where is he now? Where's he been?"

"I suppose he'd like you to see it."

"See it? See what?" Natasha questioned.

"Stay here a minute, I'll be right back."

"It's not like I'm going anywhere." Natasha irritably whispered to herself. Before she knew it, Red Hair rolled back in with a large flat screen TV on a stand. She picked up the remote and turned to Natasha.

"What's your favorite news channel?" Red Hair asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's okay; it'll be on any of them."

Exasperated and making no point to hide it, Natasha said "Then you choose, why don't you?"

Without a word, Red Hair pressed the remote and turned to a random news channel. And there it was, the headlines screaming at her. _EXPLOSIONS ROCK NEW YORK CITY. MASS CRIMINAL KNOWN AS SHADOW PARAGON HELD RESPOSNSIBLE._

Natasha watched in terror, her mouth gaping. Horrific images of fire and death filled the screen and made her nauseous. Normally Romanoff would have just been saddened by this, nothing she hadn't seen before first hand. But it wasn't just any terrorist attack. This was her captor. And she was a million miles away, unable to do a thing. What was SHIELD doing now? Where were her friends? Had Hansen targeted their headquarters?

The television showed a picture of a man helping a girl out from under some rubble and after several seconds, Natasha recognized the man under the grime as our very own Captain America. This brought a small smile to her face. At least Steve and the others were there to help. A thought reoccurred in Natasha's mind, from seemingly so long ago. Clint had been helping her escape and when all was lost there had been Steve, coming to the rescue. He'd said Clint had owed him two favors. Had Steve been kidding or was he serious?

Natasha doubted Clint would be returning any favors anytime soon. Natasha sat there in more shock than she should have been for five minutes, unable to look away from the television thinking watching it was the least she could do if she couldn't be there to help save lives.

Although he made no sound while entering and stayed out of her line of vision, Hansen's mere presence in the room was enough to unglue Natasha's eyes. After a while, you just kind of _know_ when your biggest enemies are near.

"You killed all those people." Natasha let out with a shaky breath. "Why New York?" she whispered.

"It's been a bit too long since New York City has had a major attack. Things were getting quiet….. Oh be smart Natasha, you know why it was New York City."

"Why? Because I live there?"

"There's nothing I can say that hasn't already gone through your mind."

"Did you hit SHIELD headquarters?"

"Yes." Hansen said flatly. Natasha felt the ground wobble and she clung to the side of her cot for balance. She suddenly felt like she was going to throw up when Hansen laughed. "Oh you care so much Natasha. See where your caring has got you? I did ruin the SHIELD headquarters but it was empty. They moved when they realized I'd taken you and Clint. They know I know where they are and are exceptionally dimwitted for not moving sooner."

"We had a lot going on!" Natasha defended.

"Whatever. But I guess SHIELD is a little sneakier than I give them credit for. I don't know where they went but it doesn't matter because I'll find them soon enough. I always do and I always will. I will ruin SHIELD if it's the last thing I do. And I'm starting with their best agents…. I'd take that as a compliment if I were you."

"Somehow I'm not flattered." Natasha sarcastically joked. "But you're wrong by the way. You might find us this time and maybe the next time too but we're evolving and getting stronger. You won't destroy SHIELD. You aren't capable of such a feat. No one is."

"You overestimate your little family so much. Why?"

"Because their just that. My family. I didn't always get that but I do now. And now I want to talk to my family. I want to talk to Clint."

Hansen smirked but his eyes shone with the curiosity of a mouse. "And why would I let you do that?"

"Because you think you're invincible no matter what I do. Prove it. You think _my_ Clint is never coming back? Prove it. Prove to me that I can't bring him back."

His face grew hard. "I will. But just know you asked for this."


End file.
